Sports

Once a pipe dream, Trout Unlimited and FODC continue to help the brown trout population in Deckers Creek thrive

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – 

Brown trout fingerlings kicked up water in the gallon buckets carried by members of the P. Pendleton Kennedy Chapter of Trout Unlimited en route to the calm, crisp pools of Deckers Creek. The chapter was on its annual mission of stocking the fish, something that not long ago would seem like a fruitless quest.  

Long-time residents of Monongalia and Preston counties might remember the days when Deckers Creek was a literal cesspool of acid mine drainage and human refuse. That’s all but history now. Indeed, there’s still plenty of work to be done in the 64-square mile watershed, but it’s far from the state it was in, even in the 1990s.

After nearly a century of abuse, a group of recreationists formed Friends of Deckers Creek in 1995 with the hopes to bring the watershed back to its former glory. Two years later, the group was receiving grants, including a $10 million commitment from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service to begin cleaning up AMD. In 2000, FODC officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, allowing it to hold fundraising drives. Today, FODC continues to lead the charge of cleaning, improving and maintaining the watershed, working with other nonprofits like TU. It’s this collaborative work that, over the last decade, has led to a stable population of brown trout in Deckers Creek. Though not a reproducing, wild population yet, that doesn’t mean stocking efforts aren’t getting the fish to that point.  

“It feels amazing, even though you always want to be hopeful I never thought I’d see a time where there would be a sustainable trout population in Deckers Creek,” said President of the P. Pendleton Kennedy Chapter and a lifelong angler, Jacquelyn Core. “Certainly we want to continue to improve the quality of the watershed and hopefully see a self-sustaining wild population there. If we can get to a place where we see reproduction in that stream, we’d stop stocking it.” 

Core’s chapter first works with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources to acquire the fingerlings. They then, after transporting the fish in a special tank that monitors oxygen levels, release them in multiple locations along Deckers Creek and other streams in Preston County such as Muddy Creek and the Little Sandy. On Friday, that job came down to Justin Hettick, a 10-year member of the regional chapter and longtime trout fisherman. 

Hettick noted that the chapter has been stocking trout in Deckers Creek for roughly a decade. After moving to Morgantown from College Station, Texas, 17 years ago he recalled his desire to fish the beautiful creek being laughed off by peers. 

“I thought Deckers was the most beautiful trout stream I’d ever seen,” Hettick said. “I mentioned to my coworkers that I needed to fish this stream and they laughed. They said, ‘It’s a cesspool.’ 

“I was really broken-hearted at the time that such a beautiful stream was impaired, so it’s gratifying that it’s been cleaned up and there’s a fishery there now.” 

From the Brookhaven park and ride, the group set out to the first of three stocking locations along Route 7. As the assortment of trucks and SUVs pulled into the Dari-Delite in Dellslow, Hettick hopped into the bed of his truck and began filling up the gallon buckets. 

“I forgot how steep this hill was,” he said as he watched the last volunteer descend through the overgrowth to the frothing whitewater below. Less than five minutes later, the volunteers returned and the group hit the road once more. Next stop: An unmarked location off the road just across the Preston County border. 

A member of the P. Pendleton Kennedy Chapter of Trout Unlimited stocks brown trout fingerlings in Deckers Creek Friday, June 5, 2020. (Submitted photo)

It was here where Friends of Deckers Creek representative Maya Mier-Thomas took her first bucket down to the water. Mier-Thomas, a native of Morgantown and graduate of both University High and West Virginia University, works for FODC as part of the AmeriCorps VISTA program. 

Returning to the Mountain State after time abroad in Botswana, Mier-Thomas brings knowledge of wildlife conservation to the table as part of FODC. 

“I love my home state,” she said, “and I’ve always wanted to work in the conservation field. I had a friend who worked as an AmeriCorps employee, and she knows how much of an environmental geek I am, so she knew of an open position [with FODC].”

Though a new employee, she’s not unfamiliar with the watershed’s history, and, just like Hettick and Core, to know how much it has improved is refreshing. 

“It feels amazing,” Mier-Thomas said. “That’s the kind of position that I’m passionate about. It’s what drives me –  trying to improve environmental issues that have come about by anthropogenic issues. We want to see it be beautiful instead of orange and killing things, so now that the fish stocks are coming back and the water quality is getting better it’s great.” 

After another round of fingerlings stocked, the volunteers progressed to the Lions Club picnic shelters near Masontown. There, flanked by two rushing waterfalls, small pools form on a mostly even bed of rock. With fallen trees peppering the stretch and forming an underwater cover, it’s a perfect spot to release the young trout. Less than half an hour later, the ensemble had released its last bucket of trout into Deckers Creek at the Masontown trailhead of the Deckers Creek Trail. As the group silently watched the fingerlings swim around in their new home looking for cover and food, a sense of pride seemingly washed over everyone. It had taken a lot of manpower and volunteer hours to get to this point to simply watch the new generation of brown trout explore this small portion of the creek. 

Maya Mier-Thomas, a native of Morgantown and graduate of University High and West Virginia University, stocks brown trout fingerlings in a pool in Deckers Creek. (Andrew Spellman/The Dominion Post)

“We appreciate TU helping and putting this on for us,” Mier-Thomas said. “It’s all about communication. Pooling resources and communicating with each other makes stakeholders and community members interested in what you’re doing, as well as compiling data and knowing what’s going on where. It’s wonderful and we’re always open to working with other nonprofits that have a similar mission statement.” 

What remains?

When it comes to other projects, the P. Pendleton Kennedy Chapter and FODC are working together to put up signs and educate those who utilize Deckers Creek about catch-and-release and how it can help the trout population. To increase the chances of reaching a sustainable, wild population this needs to be stressed.

A secondary project, according to Core, is to continue to keep the stream clean and partner with landowners to allow access. 

“We don’t stock posted waters, we’ll only stock waterways where there’s access,” Core said. “Our chapter is just starting to talk to the West Virginia Land Trust about how we can partner with Brent [Bailey] and his organization to pursue things like conservation easements and to sustain these cold water fisheries long term.” 

Trout Unlimited also operates a nationwide program called “Trout in the Classroom,” which puts cold water tanks into classrooms to connect students with their local watersheds. According to the TU website, students raise trout from eggs to fingerlings, monitor water quality in the tank, engage in stream habitat studies, foster a conservation ethic, understand ecosystem connectivity and appreciate water resources. The organization also releases the fish into local streams. But to Core, it goes even deeper. She hopes, among everything else, it creates a new group of anglers. 

A member of the P. Pendleton Kennedy Chapter of Trout Unlimited stocks brown trout fingerlings in Deckers Creek Friday, June 5, 2020. (Submitted photo)

Core also stressed the importance of more people joining Trout Unlimited. She noted that if someone has not been a member of TU in the last year and wants to join, they can reach out to the P. Pendleton Kennedy Chapter and receive their first year of membership for free. 

“It lets us put a fly rod in the hands of some of those kids and introduce kids to sport fishing,” she said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity.” 

“If people reach out to us on Facebook – they can message us and ask for a free membership – we [can] grant them a one-year membership,” she said. “We’d love to have more people in the chapter and active in coldwater conservation. We certainly want to make those connections for people.” 

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